IT'S A WINDERFUL LIFE
by Bloodlustful
Summary: This is an ode to Tiger of the Wind, my favorite MR character, an early Christmas gift to all his other fans and a nod to the classic Frank Capra film "It's A Wonderful Life.", hence the title. Just how different would it have been if Tiger never existed?
1. Chapter 1

Season's greetings, everyone! The last time I made a Monster Rancher Christmas fic, I had Tiger say that it's a wonderful life at one point! Since thus far my last MR Christmas fic has only gotten good reception, and since I really like "It's A Wonderful Life", I decided on this. Tiger of the Wind is the favorite Monster Rancher Anime character of damn near everyone who knows about it, myself included! He's saved his group many times and done a whole lot to help in the fight against Moo! Plus, he's the most good looking of the rebels and the most interesting. So, because he's so popular and great, I decided to make a fanfic which is a spin-off of "It's A Wonderful Life" that shows just what it'd be like if Tiger were not around in Monster Rancher. This is an ode to Tiger and an early Christmas gift to anyone who likes him!

THINGS TO NOTE:

This is, as mentioned above, a major league Tiger tribute.

This story takes place on Christmas Eve, a year after the events of the last episode of Season 3. In other words, it's post-Season 3.

I own none of the characters. They all belong to the Monster Rancher Anime!

IT'S A WIND-ERFUL LIFE

Chapter 1-I Wish I Was Never Born!

The goodies were in very good spirits. Why was this, you ask? Well, for starters, Big Blue had come back to life and Granity had been turned back into Pixie, plus been in the process reunited with him for good. Gray Wolf, Nina and Hopper had joined the rebel goodies and Gray Wolf was only too happy to be reunited with Tiger and vice versa, plus the rebels grew to like Nina and Hopper even more than they already had.

Furthermore, Datonare and Daton, two of Tiger's old friends, as well as Tama, the orchard girl who Hare was with for a time and the two aforementioned wolves joined after him, had also joined the rebels, and they were one, big, happy sort of family, with Tiger and Gray Wolf happy to have Datonare and Daton back, and Tama happy to be reunited with Hare and vice versa.

Additionally, Holly's father, having been fully freed from Moo and returned to normal, with Moo utterly gone for good along with the other baddies(with a few exceptions), and anyone who was once a non-Moo baddy being a good monster once more(again, with a few exceptions), as of now had joined the village Holly was now living in and he and Holly were so happy to be reunited that it wasn't even funny.

And, as if that were not enough, Gray Wolf, Pixie and Big Blue had been given a pardon for back when they were brainwashed as baddies by any and all humans in this world. Plus, Tiger had also been given a pardon by the humans of this world for his past thievery, as had Gray Wolf, Datonare and Daton, as well. And things went favorably for the goodies, as there were only a few baddy monsters left now. And they weren't more than mid-tier baddies, either.

Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention. There was also the fact that at this time, what was on its way but Christmas? In fact, the time this story opens is indeed on Christmas Eve! By this time, all of the goodies had gotten their shopping and Christmas work done and the tree was up, presents under it, star on top, decorations and everything! And they all had just returned from a visit to a village where they had sung quite a few carols for quite a few people. It was much appreciated and lauded, and they thought their trip back to the cave they picked for spending their Christmas, even if they would go back to the village that was their main home the day after Christmas, was going to be a nice, pleasant, simple and enjoyable one. However, that way of things would be changed. Drastically. And for the far worse.

Because a swarm of the very few baddies who remained even after Moo was gone and General Durahan redeemed attacked now, and although they were relatively easy to defeat, a few of them made a very, very cunning and nasty move together. Here, I'll be exact. Though all the goodies managed to defeat and take out a handful of baddies each, and Tiger in particular was able to get a good clutch of them destroyed, plus assist in helping all the other goodies in some cases with their defeating baddies, the baddies decided on a change in strategy.

For this change, here's what move they made. They gathered around Holly, Gray Wolf, Genki, Datonare, Daton and Pixie and confused them with various moves and attacks done very at random and out of the blue, then attempted to kill them, as they were baffled like the lot of them now were. Since Tiger was the only one of the group who saw it in time to do anything about it, he quickly unleashed lightning at the baddies in question to save the lives of the six members of the group he most cared about.

Unfortunately, this was part of their plan, as they then jumped out of the way so it was made that Tiger's lightning hit Genki, Holly, Daton, Datonare, Gray Wolf and Pixie, instead, much to Tiger's alarm and horror! Worse yet, despite how these last baddies were then destroyed when the other goodies quickly used their attacks to kill them, Tiger would rush over to his six comrades only to see that they had been severely injured by his lightning attacks!

He did all he could to help them, all while horribly tense and with the assistance of everyone else who didn't get injured, and in the end, the lot of the goodies got back to the cave and managed to give them the treatment they needed and put them in special, soft beds made from cloth. Still, despite this and how the six he'd inadvertently injured told him they didn't hate him for it and it wasn't his fault that this happened and an accident, Tiger was blaming himself for what happened quite a lot and, in fact, had run into another part of the cave, utterly ashamed to show himself.

Though Holly's father, despite being shocked about what happened to both his daughter and the other five, did not fault Tiger, but the baddies, for this, as he helped and treated both her, Genki and the four injured monsters along with everyone else in the cave, and though Genki, Holly, Gray Wolf, Datonare, Daton and Pixie were safe and starting to show signs of recovery, plus conscious still, they felt concern for Tiger, much like all the others did. "Tiger is full of a lot of self doubt and self loathing right now…" Nina said. "I'm real worried about him." "So are the rest of us, I think…" Genki told them. "Hey, no kidding on that…" Tama sighed sad and heavily. "I just hope his thoughts and upset feelings don't become suicidal." Holly's father pointed out. "Things like that are rare, but they are not unheard of. I wish that I could say differently…"

"But doesn't he understand it's not his fault we got nailed like that? The baddies tricked him and us into having that happen, and now they're destroyed!" Pixie said. "I'm well aware, but I think he's too wracked with guilt to realize that." Gray Wolf said. "And guilt he shouldn't be wracked with, either. Nina, isn't there anything anyone can say to him or do to help him?" "I was about to ask you exactly that!" Holly put in. "I wish I had a suggestion…" Nina said.

"Chi, Mocchi wish he did, too, Chi…" Mocchi stated. "We all wish we had a suggestion, frankly." Datonare spoke. "But even the smartest of us, like me and Hare, can't think of crap." Daton sighed. "Yeah, and for me to admit that, you know it's gotta be true!" put in Hare. "But it won't last forever like this." Hopper said. "Yeah, Hopper's right!" Nina said. "He'll get better and cheer up when he realizes this isn't his fault and that he's not to blame." "But still, I'm not certain how long that will take, if it happens at all." Hare said. Suezo asked: "Hare, are you implying that Tiger will only get worse?"

"Golem hope this is not the case at all." Golem said. "As do all of us." Big Blue said as he brought some hot tea to Pixie for her to drink, and then Holly's father added on: "This is Christmas Eve after Moo has finally been vanquished for good. The last thing any of us want is another crisis of any kind, personal or worldwide." as he gave some hot tea to his daughter, who was quite thirsty just now, so she drank it rather fast. "Well said, father. I couldn't agree more." Holly concurred after finishing her tea. The other four injured goodies got some hot tea brought to them by Tama, who had made it all in minutes. "Why did this have to happen?" asked Suezo. "And on Christmas Eve, no less?" added Big Blue. "Chi…" sighed Mocchi sadly.

"Sadly, I'm afraid that it may be exactly the case with Tiger that we all truly hope it isn't." Hare said. "I mean, think about it. Knowing Tiger, and this IS Tiger, mind you, he's probably going through a lot of remorse right now even though this is clearly isn't his fault. You six are the ones he most cares about and is the closest to. Sure, you, Pixie, took the longest, but you've developed a brother/sister relationship with him of sorts, and you, Gray Wolf, Datonare, Daton, Genki and Holly? Don't even get me started on how much you mean to him! So, as much as I hope it's not the case, I have little doubt he doesn't even want to see his own reflection due to how much shame he's feeling at the moment! And I know these things…I am the brains of this group, after all. And I know Tiger all too well…in much the same way he knows me all too well!"

"Okay, Hare, you've said enough!" Pixie told him. "Chi!" Mocchi added. Hare nodded with a smile, but it was clear all this was an attempt by him to cover up how worried he was for Tiger. Datonare, Daton and Tama could tell this more than anyone, though everyone could tell very easily indeed.

And sure enough, Tiger was alone in this part of the cave, with him howling out in his grief and anguish: "I CAN'T BELIEVE I HURT SIX OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MEAN THE MOST TO ME! MY BROTHER! TWO OF MY TOP LOYALIST FOLLOWERS! THE FIRST TWO HUMANS I LOVED AND WHO BOTH SHOWED ME THE RIGHT WAY TO BE! MY FEMALE COUNTERPART WHO I'VE GROWN TO LIKE AS I WOULD A SISTER LIKE SHE HAS ME AS A DAMN BROTHER! HOW COULD I HAVE DONE THIS? AND TO THINK I WOULD END UP HARMING HOLLY, AND WHEN SHE FINALLY HAD HER FATHER BACK AND FREE FROM THE NOW FOREVER GONE MOO, NO LESS! AND THIS ONLY INTENSIFIES THE GODDAMN DAMAGE I'VE DONE!"

The poor wolf was very clearly going through a horrible breakdown and of a magnitude he had never in either of his lives experienced. Hell, he'd never had a single breakdown in either of his lives up until now, but this one was enough to serve as six breakdowns as far as he was concerned. And it sure as fuck FELT like six breakdowns, and all crammed into one simultaneously, at that.

Little did he or anyone know that word of this had been spread to a whole lot of people. One of which was that boy who was at the Mandy Cup Challenge a year and a half ago. Yeah, the rotten little cowardly brat who had Knight Niton and Fake Penguin as his monsters. Now, after the time that had passed since Tiger paid Knight Niton back in kind with his rematch and won the championship and Mandy Cup, plus prize money, for his team, and shoved everything the boy had said back in his little face, in the Sudden Death final match, the boy had learned a lot about Tiger. See, he found out after recovering from whining about his loss like the wimp he was at heart that Tiger had only lost because of his stubbornness and lack of his trademark powers. If he'd been at full power, he would have easily won with lightning and ice the first time and Knight Niton wouldn't have stood a chance. Further, the boy learned of all Tiger had done in his first and second lives, and how very important, strong and impressive he proved to be, including with defense prior to losing his powers for a time, and like he was now.

Not only this, but the boy learned Tiger could easily have defeated Fake Penguin as well, in addition to how his courage was the reason for Moo's defeat, along with that of his friends. In spite of how much this impressed and amazed him, it also enraged him. Especially with how well Tiger could last in a fight even when lightning, ice and wind attack deprived, thanks in part to his speed. So the boy, being as spoiled, arrogant and cowardly as he was, could not cope with how so very clearly superior to him and his monsters, and to most individuals in general, Tiger was, nor how he had never lost a fair fight in ANY tournament when at full power, since Hare had of course tricked him and quit before sucker punching him that one time, and how Tiger was still all too capable of learning, which helped him take the Mandy Cup Championship even while he had no powers for a time, and got his lightning attack back in the process.

This being said, the boy wanted to find some way to pay Tiger back, but having, however reluctantly, acknowledged how tough, powerful, strong, skilled, talented and cool he was, he was only too aware that trying to have one or both of his monsters take Tiger down in a fight was out of the question, and would be even if there was another tournament. He was even more aware, in light of how frightened he was of Tiger, especially if the wolf was angry, that there would be no way in hell he would stand a chance against such a dynamo. The fact Tiger was shitloads more handsome than he was only ground his gears worse. In any case, his finding out of Tiger's plight and anguish delighted him greatly, because he thought up the perfect fiendish scheme to beat him the only way he possibly could…not physically, but mentally, psychologically and emotionally.

After thinking long and hard about it, and deciding the subtle, guise of sympathy approach was the only way, he explained his plan to his two monsters and told them to stay put, as he would be doing all of it himself, plus Tiger's current emotional state would ensure he did not need any protection whatsoever. Once they understood this, he gave them a special crystal with which to watch what he was going to do from where they were, and the boy used a different crystal, which was also special(i.e., magical, just like the other one was)to teleport himself to the very cave Tiger was currently in. He initially hesitated about what he was about to do, as he was easily able to tell how very agonized and unhappy Tiger was, and with his learning of what the blue and white wolf truly was and was truly capable of came, as much as he hated to admit it, a loathing respect for him he had not possessed before. But after a few seconds, he concluded he'd come this far, and he was going to finish this and gain retribution on Tiger, his vindictive feelings all too easily overlapping his conscience.

As for Tiger, he was in worse pain than ever, and it only worsened with each and every passing moment. Make that each and every passing second. He felt a tear being squeezed out of both of his eyes, and he then howled out again, louder than ever. No words, but there was no mistaking the pain and sadness in his howl. The boy almost felt sorry for him, but ignored such a near semi-pang of compassion and walked on over, ironically under the fake guise of comforting Tiger. He said in a calm, gentle, soothing tone of voice: "Hello, Tiger. Recognize my voice, by any chance?"

Tiger heard this, and turned to see who it was. He did not take long to realize who had just approached him. "You…" he told the boy. "I recognize you. You're the one who had Fake Penguin and Knight Niton for his monsters in that Mandy Cup Challenge." "Indeed I am." the boy said. "Didn't think we'd ever meet again, but I came here via this magic crystal I've got after hearing word of your, ah, accident during that fight with those rotten baddies." "What?" Tiger exclaimed. "Everyone's heard of it. The word's been spread about that and every other part of that fight by people who saw it and thought all of everyone ought to know." the boy explained. "People are hoping you aren't feeling at fault, and I bet your teammates are too. Sad thing is, I can tell you are."

"Of course I'm at fault. It was my lightning that injured Pixie, Gray Wolf, Datonare, Daton, Holly and Genki so badly." Tiger growled. "It's a miracle they're still alive, let alone conscious!" "Which is why I've come here." the boy said. Tiger was confused and surprised to hear this, and opened his eyes widely, prompting the boy to say: "I'll explain to you what I mean by that, though since you're already uncomfortable enough, I'd suggest you lay on your stomach while I tell you what you need to know." Tiger normally would have protested, but he was so, so broken right now he didn't even have it in him to argue, so he lay down without a word. Then the boy sat down against his side and gently stroked his mane while talking. "Okay, so since you had beaten Knight Niton in the end of that tournament, plus would have the first time were you at full power, he decided such a talented, powerful, brave, fierce, attractive monster as you deserved at least some comfort in such a painful position as your current one, and Fake Penguin agreed. Me, I thought about it, and decided they were right. So I chose to do it. Anyhow, now that I'm here, there's some things I've got to make clear to you, especially after learning about you as much as I did post-Mandy Cup Challenge." Tiger was surprised to hear this, but just listened as the boy went on. "You see, Tiger," the boy said, "here is the truth."

He rubbed Tiger's side and spoke: "You've had two lives, and managed a whole lot in both. There is no denying that. Your power is impressive, and so is your bravery. Hell, you even instill fear in your enemies and are none too unattractive. But the sad fact is…it's all a lie. A lie by fate." "What?" Tiger asked. "I don't follow you." "There are few who could." the boy said in a voice that sounded compassionate. Tiger was usually impossible to manipulate, but his current state of feeling make it all too easy to do. "But I'll clarify. You were born into some pretty nasty conditions, as was your little brother, Gray Wolf. You were both treated unfairly as little puppies for the time you lived with humans, separated from your mother and left in that crate down the river to fend for yourselves. All that. Sure enough, it made you think you had to find ways to live on your own, and caused you to loathe and distrust humans. True happiness, or anything but pain and misery, for that matter, you never knew. And it made you tough, nasty and ferocious."

Tiger hated to admit it, but this was all reality, and even the times being much better up till this point could not alter this. The boy talked on when he realized Tiger wasn't about to say anything in response. "Did your attacks, skills and bravery do you well? Hell yes. But despite all you did for the greater good and to help your friends, plus the hand, err, paw you played in the downfall of Moo later on, things still were not right with you. You reunited with your brother, who you'd had to kill to save before, only for him to have to fight you in a tournament, and then you parted, even if on good terms, before that you reunited with Datonare and Daton, who later on parted from you and vice versa, again, even if on good terms, and, to top it all off, after you had all of those guys and their friends join you and your group for good and there would be no more separations, it still resulted in your injuring them badly with a lightning blast meant for a few baddies attacking you, and on Christmas Eve, no less. Doesn't this all connect in some way? Don't you think this all, perchance, SUGGESTS something?"

Initially, Tiger was very confused and baffled, and the boy allowed him some silence so he would have time to think about what this meant. He also rubbed and stroked him further, to make sure his cover of this subtle but nasty deed was not blown. But Tiger, even in his currently broken down, messed up, saddened, self-loathing state, soon realized what was being implied, and said: "You don't mean…" as he looked up to the boy with his eyes wide open.

"I'm afraid so." the boy said, then giving Tiger a seemingly comforting hug. He added gently and softly: "I wish it were otherwise, and I feel very, very sad for you, since there are some things that really shouldn't happen to anyone or anything, no matter what, and especially since it's so unfair for you and very unjust of fate, but it does not change the reality. Nothing changes the reality. You were born with the devil in you, Tiger. You may have tried to deny it once you learned to trust humans more thanks to Genki and Holly. You may have tried to make the best of it when the situation called for it, and sure enough, more often than not, this did indeed work well to your advantage and that of your team. But, the tragic fact is, maybe it would have been much better and less painful for you and your friends alike, and maybe even this world, for that matter, if you'd never existed. I wish I did not have to say this to you, and it agonizes me to do so, but I can't ignore the truth of that any more than you can ignore the truth that you hurt your friends, brother and packmates when you meant to help them. I wish there was a way that I could make things better for you, but there isn't. Nor, for that matter, is there any way that anyone can, yourself or otherwise. I know how much this must hurt, but I had no choice but to tell you. I didn't like doing so, but it was the only possible, viable option when you're in a position like this."

He shed false tears to make his words believable, and hugged, rubbed, held, cuddled and kissed Tiger a lot, though gently and slowly, so as to maintain his subtlety. Tiger would, if in his normal state of mind, i.e., his right mind, have never bought any of this and been able to easily see through the subtlety of anything, plus would not be manipulated mentally or emotionally one bit at all. There would be no chance in hell. He would be unaffected and incorruptible in full. If he were his normal self, the boy would never have made it past the beginning, and no one would have, for that matter. But thanks to how fragile and upset he was right now, he came to think of the boy's subtle but untrue words as being true.

"GET AWAY. GET OUT OF HERE. NOW." he snarled, and the boy walked away, hanging his head, saying: "I wish there was something I could do to help you or make you feel better. Unhappily, there's no such thing." Though he said it in a morose tone of voice and did not turn around or put his head up, his face was wearing a very, very cruel smile, and he thought to himself: "Mission accomplished. Time to go back home."

He then used his crystal to teleport himself back home and once he was with Knight Niton and Fake Penguin again, he told them: "It's done." and they nodded with glee, especially Knight Niton, in light of how he knew Tiger had beaten him and would have easily the first time they fought if he had been at full power and his true self in every way.

Yeah, the boy had pretended to be trying to comfort and help Tiger, but in reality, he only wanted to break him down and derail his life worse than ever, and he loved the feeling of this retribution upon the horned wolf. He lay back in a chair with one of his two monsters at each of his sides. "We may not have the Mandy Cup or anything that goes with it," he smiled, "but at least we still have our self esteem. Unlike a certain someone we know."

All three laughed nastily, gloating and celebrating what the vile boy had just been able to pull off. "I think this calls for a nice celebration." the boy mentioned. "Fake Penguin, get me my tea and a cup. As well as some sweet food of various descriptions. And be sure to get enough for all of us." Fake Penguin nodded and went to get it, while Knight Niton jumped into the boy's lap and nuzzled into him. "Ah, victory, sweet victory." the boy sighed. "Tiger may have proven to be our superior, and that he was a lot greater than we gave him credit for, but we managed to beat his spirit, so it all tips the scales in our favor when it gets right on down to it." Both let out a wicked snicker. Fake Penguin came along and brought the tea and sweets, and all happily and oh so shamelessly helped themselves to sizable amounts of each, especially Fake Penguin. The boy then said: "Best case scenario, he gets driven to be suicidal and throws himself onto one of the stalactites in this cave, dying via impalement. And even if he doesn't, he'll still have been broken easily beyond repair, and be living, in many ways, a fate worse than death. Our revenge on him is finally here, and forever complete."

Back where Tiger was, he stood up, and, after snarling, growling and grinding his sharp, beautiful teeth in the worse than ever pain he was feeling, he let out a howl of anguish yet again. Only this time he was howling words once more, and a much more severe sentence than his last one, which was quite a statement, considering his previous words. "ALL I DO IS HURT AND ENDANGER EVERYONE AROUND ME! I DO HAVE THE FUCKING DEVIL IN ME! AND HOW COULD I POSSIBLY NOT? HOW COULD I BE ANYTHING BUT A STAIN ON THIS WORLD? WHAT HAVE I DONE WITH MY LIFE? STEAL, INTIMIDATE AND HARM ANYONE WHO'D GET WITHIN THREE DAMN MILES OF ME, THAT'S WHAT! I RUIN EVERYTHING FOR EVERYONE, EVEN ON CHRISTMAS EVE! I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOW MUCH BETTER THIS WORLD WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I'D NEVER AT ALL FUCKING EXISTED! I WISH I WAS NEVER BORN!" And, indeed, things were about to take a turn for the worst, as he was full ready to fling his body onto a stalactite in this cave, in the process impaling himself. This would end his life and he once more would become a lost disk, dying for the second and permanent time. He got himself into an ideal position to do so, having lost all hope and faith he ever had, and having become downright despondent as much as deeply despaired.

Before he could make his fateful move, however, he was stopped and saved by a single sentence. "You wish you were never born?" he heard a familiar voice say. "Now, now, for serious, Tiger. Surely you can't mean that." he heard another familiar voice say. "All this world would not be the same if you'd never existed. And taking your own life will solve nothing, and, if anything, only make things worse. Both for this world, and your wounded brother and group of friends, the equally injured ones or otherwise." a third familiar voice said. "Huh?" asked Tiger. The three voices belonged to, it turned out, Captain Dino, who was now, after being brought back as a purified mystery disk and unlocked, a good monster and just Dino, the baby Tiger had saved alongside Jagd Hound that one time and was now a teenager, who had done the unlocking in question, and Jagd Hound himself. Tiger recognized them at once and he said: "Captain Dino? Jagd Hound? And you're that baby I helped save…" "Yes, even if two of them are quite a bit different now." Jagd Hound told Tiger.

Dino then said: "You probably want to know how I came back to life after you killed me when I was a baddy, and how I met these two, no less. So I'll explain." Tiger nodded and Dino told him: "After I was resurrected as a purified disk, I was found and unlocked, by the boy here, who made me his own monster along with Jagd Hound. At the time, he'd just turned thirteen." "Further, Dino here remembered everything he needed to remember of the past, but decided to start over now that he was good again." Jagd Hound stated. "And in the end, he managed to not only right his wrongs, but also get a pardon from all who he caused trouble for as a baddy under Moo's evil brainwashing." Then the boy said: "It was in the later days, right up to now, that we all found out that Dino owed you a thanks for saving him just like Jagd Hound and myself did, and, with a magic gem we found that Dino now has, we saw what your plight was."

"So, as our thanks to you, we are going to help you with that plight." Dino told to Tiger. "Though I am glad to see how well things turned out, and also happy to see you yet again, Jagd Hound, and you," He put his head towards the boy to show who he meant, "plus I appreciate how eager you are to thank me by helping me, I don't know how any of you can possibly help me! I just injured the six members of my group who are most important to me without realizing it until it was too late, and on Christmas Eve, no less! I should have never lived. I have the devil in me, dammit! I ruined everything for them and my group! And let's not even go into all the crap I pulled prior to meeting Genki…this world would have been better off if I never lived. Let's face it, it's the truth. So I wish I'd never lived. I don't see how any of you can stand the sight of me now, especially since you three reunite with me at a time when I'm such a sorry excuse for and mockery of a monster, even as it's good you, Jagd Hound, and the boy have lived like you have, and you, Dino, are no longer the evil baddy who Moo had kill my pack…which I'm still angry about, but even so…"

"You speak far too low of yourself, Tiger. This is nothing like you at all." Jagd Hound said. "Allow us to remind you of your importance to this world." the boy added. "So, you wish you were never born and had never existed?" asked Dino. Tiger nodded. "Let this gem do the trick." Dino said as he used the magic gem to transport all four of them to an alternate world, which, in the sense of the part of the cave they were in, looked exactly like the very one they'd been in just seconds ago. "What is this?" asked Tiger. His confusion washed the desire to murder himself from his mind and soul, though he didn't feel it happen due to how baffled he was about all of this. "We're exactly where we were!" He didn't see it, however, but his scar had vanished just now. So had the tears in his eyes. This world, after all, was one in which Tiger of the Wind had never been born. He didn't exist in this world. He never had and he never would. It was the same Monster Rancher world, but one thing was different about it, and that was he was not part of it. No one even knew of him. And no one ever would. "Actually, we've been taken to a different version of our world." Dino said to him.

"A different version, indeed." Jagd Hound stated. "Because while we seem to be in the same place, you don't exist." The boy then added on: "Because you were never born. You got your wish by the magic gem. You never lived, Tiger of the Wind." "You never lived." Dino spoke. "It's true. You never lived. We lie not." Jagd Hound stated. "I NEVER LIVED!" Tiger exclaimed. "YES! Now I know I'll see the world be spared all the damage I did to it, and Gray Wolf, Datonare, Daton, Holly, Genki and Pixie won't be injured like they were, because I was never born! Everything that's my fault is undone! I WAS NEVER BORN! THIS IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE OR DESCRIBED IN ANY WORDS AT ALL!"

"I don't think he'll be anywhere near as excited about this once he sees just how much for the worse a world without him is…" thought Dino, Jagd Hound and the boy to themselves while they looked at the elated Tiger. The boy then said, though in a whisper, to the other two: "By the way, this same gem has also showed us that a different boy, one who owned the monsters Knight Niton and Fake Penguin, had helped make sure Tiger went from being upset to being in this state in a subtle but very, very effective way after taking advantage of his vulnerability. This was payback for how Tiger had been able to defeat Knight Niton and win the Mandy Cup Challenge in the sudden death match, and would have easily in the first round had the playing field been level, so to speak, and there would not have needed to be a rematch." "So he, knowing Tiger for who he truly was, which of course tore at him and ground his gears, decided to overpower him in the only way which was even remotely possible." Jagd Hound spoke, also in a whisper.

"Exactly." the boy said, still whispering. "So we're going to have to use this gem to make sure Tiger sees and realizes reality, and that rotten little brat of a coward's true intentions, once this whole thing of showing him around this world is over and we return to our true, main reality world." "I can tell this is the case, especially since the gem I hold has shown me itself, much like you two have told me, and I'll be the one to see to that." Dino said, in a whisper of his own, and he got the gem working so that, while Tiger felt, saw and heard nothing at all, the magic of it went into his mind so he'd know immediately after this was over and he was his true self again what the boy had done in truth, and his real reason for doing so, as well. After that, the three looked to the happy beyond belief Tiger, and Jagd Hound said, whispering once more: "As soon as he is through celebrating the fact he's in a reality in which he never existed, we'll be showing him around after we lead him out of this cave, though the gem will be needed to be kept at the ready." "Right." Dino and the boy whispered while they nodded in response.

TO BE CONTINUED…

So, was this quite a chapter or what? I'm betting you're real eager to see where this goes, after a cliffhanger like this! Just one thing to point out…the next one's gonna be quite a bit longer, so it can be shown in full what I mean this fic to signify! And yes, the boy who is with Jagd Hound and Dino is indeed the now grown up baby from "Tiger Meets His Match", and the Jagd Hound you see is the Jagd Hound from that same episode, plus Dino is who was previously Captain Dino in the episode "Tiger Of The Wind", the debut of the character this fanfic is about! You thought that when you read it, and you were very right, indeed! Ratings and reviews please, everyone!


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, it's time for the second and last chapter of this tale which is an ode to Tiger and spin-off of the movie "It's A Wonderful Life". We've seen how Tiger is cursing himself and feels so, so upset that he wishes he was never born, thanks to the subtle but evil words of that miserable little brat. We've also seen both the good, resurrected Captain Dino and the baby Lilim kidnapped from Jagd Hound(who is now a teenager)as well as Jagd Hound himself show up and try to reason with Tiger. Help him with his troubles. And they've got the perfect way, as you're about to see, with a special magic gem. Can they convince Tiger to not take his own life? To realize just how important, wanted and needed he is? To not think that it's his fault all this happened and that it would have been for the worse if he never existed? Let's find out!

Just a quick reminder, btw. This story takes place post-Season 3 and I own none of the characters. They all belong to the Monster Rancher Anime.

IT'S A WIND-ERFUL LIFE!

Chapter 2-We Need You, Tiger!

After calming down, and to make sure he wasn't being lied do extra firmly, Tiger was saying: "So, I was never born? You've just made it that way?" "Oh, we sure have." replied the boy. "Look in this mirror." Jagd Hound said, giving it to Dino with his mouth. Dino held it up to Tiger's face and Tiger saw that his scar was gone! So were the tears he'd shed. "No scar!" Tiger let out. "And my tears are gone, too!" "Of course." Dino told him. "After all, you have to exist to shed tears, and you got the permanent scar on your face from Moo's blow when he stole your brother from you after killing your followers. But you were never born, so Moo never even saw you, let alone gave you that scar! And you never cried because you never lived!"

"So, as you can see," the boy told him, "there's no scar to be found, nor anything about you that is distinguishing. Now, let's take a look at the world when it lacks one Tiger of the Wind!" "Follow us." Jagd Hound said. Tiger followed them and then Dino told him as the four of them entered the world they were in from the cave it was in: "So, Tiger, we've taken you to an alternate world! It's just like the one you live in, only in this one, you never existed." "To begin with, let's see about your brother, Gray Wolf." Jagd Hound told him.

"Gray Wolf?" Tiger asked. "But that means he isn't injured…" "Yes, but we shouldn't call him your brother, since he's the only pup born to your mother now." the boy spoke. The lot of them went over to Gray Wolf, who was currently by himself in a snow covered area. This was Gray Wolf as a puppy, of course. Tiger remembered this…this was when he and Gray Wolf were puppies and he was trying to train Gray Wolf to survive. But here, Gray Wolf seemed sad and in the snow all by himself. Completely alone. Lonely. Frightened. Unhappy. Needing of some kind of companion which he would never get.

He was saying: "Oh, why did I have to be separated from my mother? I'm all alone now! There's no one to help me and I've no idea how to survive in this cold, harsh world! I wish that I had at least a brother or something! Then, if not someone who could guide me, at least I'd have a companion! And I wouldn't be so alone or frightened or sad!" He howled to the sky in anguish, a very agonizing sight for Tiger. "You see, Tiger?" asked Dino. "If not for you, Gray Wolf would have died as a puppy, either from a cold related death, loneliness, unhappiness or being killed by a force of evil of some kind. And that's if he even made it out of that crate." "Dear God…" Tiger gaped, unable to help but shed a tear for this alternate world version of his brother as a puppy. One out of each eye. "Please help me…" said a very frightened Gray Wolf in a whimpering tone. "Where can I go? Who can I find who'll care for me? I could die out here! I'm so cold and…and scared…and alone…"

The last one really hit Tiger hard. "I can't stand the sight of this any longer…" Tiger said, turning his head away. "Then let us go to the next showing of this world…" said Jagd Hound, and Captain Dino made their magic gem teleport them to another area, which was the very area Tiger had stopped Lilim from killing the boy who was with him now when he was a baby. At the time that Lilim was going to kill off Genki with her powerful blast. "I remember this…" Tiger commented. "This is when Lilim was going to destroy Genki when I tricked her into thinking I was dead…"

"Yes," Jagd Hound stated, "and I remember it as well. This was when she let loose the blast she meant to kill Genki with. Now, you were the one who saved him. But in this alternate world, when you were never born, watch what happens…" Tiger had to watch as the blast did not get vaporized. It hit Genki and blew him to bloody flesh pieces. He died a screaming death. "GENKI! NO!" Tiger cried. Lilim then cackled evilly, and the boy told Tiger: "And while we're on the subject of this particular time, let's see just what happens with Jagd Hound and myself as a baby…" The magic stone was put to use by Dino again and they went to see that, in a cave, the gloating Lilim was having her evil Hares kill the baby, plus they were whipping Jagd Hound, who they were now making a slave.

"If you hadn't found me and thought up the idea you did after I told you my story," said Jagd Hound, "then I would have been turned into a slave for Lilim and her evil Hares." "And it would have happened right after they killed me as a baby, ensuring Jagd Hound failed to save me and that the Baddies won. And destroyed your whole group, as well." added the boy. "How can I ever even forgive myself for…" Tiger thought, but then Dino said: "Oh, and let's not forget that the very fact I'm back to being good is because of you!"

As the evil Hares killed the baby, Lilim kept on swinging the whip around and saying: "Oh, Jagd Hound, you are such a fool! You really thought we'd spare the little brat and let you go after your services were done!" Jagd Hound howled in pain from the whip and in anguish in light of how he knew he'd failed the humans who raised him so kindly as a puppy. "It was all a trick, and you fell for it like the stupid mutt you are! Now you will work for me for all time and the only escape will be death." "HUMANS, I'M SORRY!" Jagd Hound cried out. "I FAILED YOU AND YOUR SON! I'M SO SORRY! AAAAAAGGHH!" It was a traumatizing site, even for one as solid as Tiger, who suddenly realized what Dino had just said to him after he snapped out of what he couldn't believe he was seeing and hearing.

"Wait…" Tiger said. "Are you talking about…" "Yes." Dino replied. "When you killed me as one of your first deeds as a goody, you also made me a disk. When I was resurrected as a purified disk and unlocked, I was good again." "As opposed to turned into the baddy who killed my pack by Moo." Tiger replied. "Yes." Dino said. "And thus, by killing me, you freed me." "I think we should show you what it would be like if you were never around for that." Jagd Hound put in. So the magic gem was put to work again, and soon enough, Dino said: "As you can see, I in this reality am still a baddy working for Moo. And I am committing many more of his evil and dark atrocities, as opposed to being resurrected, good and purified like I am now."

Sure enough, Tiger saw the same baddy Captain Dino as he'd killed and turned into the good monster who was now with him tearing up villages, leading his troops to destroy all they could and killing innocent people and good monsters alike. "You'd have done all that if you had stayed a baddy?" asked Tiger. "That and a lot worse." Dino admitted. "You know how evil Moo was when he was around." "Of course." Tiger replied, snarling at the thought of the one he most loathed. And Tiger could not believe his eyes as he saw just what he'd prevented Captain Dino from becoming by destroying him as a baddy. Just like he couldn't believe how much evil and death he'd prevented in doing so. "ALL HAIL MOO!" Captain Dino roared. "ALL HAIL MOO! ALL HAIL MOO!" his troops thundered out after him. Tiger felt like he was going to puke.

"We'd also like to present a little something else to you, Tiger." said Jagd Hound. "On Holly's fifteenth birthday, you helped get the potatoes for the cake and put together the present. And did a fine job of it, too." "But what if you had not been around? Would Holly's birthday have been nearly as nice, especially since you played a major role in making it so wonderful? I think we should see." the boy told Tiger. So the magic gem whisked them away to that moment and saw that Holly, on her birthday, though forcing a smile and seemingly enjoying herself, was clearly not having the happy birthday she hoped for. No cake, no full present and the lack of the feeling she was hoping for. And a worsened state of unhappiness she did her best to hide.

"Holly? Is something wrong?" asked Genki. "No…" Holly said. "I guess for some reason I feel funny. I don't know why. I mean, this is a wonderful birthday…" "But there's no cake, chi! And no present!" Mocchi commented. "Are you sure Holly isn't just trying to show to us how much she appreciates the thought even though it feels empty?" asked Suezo. "If only we had an additional member who could've helped with this!" Hare said. "And, if possible, who I could fight with and exchange insults with, too. Then I wouldn't be so bored all the time…"

And Tiger was TORTURED to see Holly so sad, especially since he could tell one of the main reasons for her forced smile was indeed because of the fact she knew her friends were trying to cheer her up and she appreciated it, but something felt like it was missing. She didn't even know what it was. And, though Tiger would not pay attention to the thought, he in the back of his mind he felt sad for and disliked how Hare was bored and wishing there was someone he could go at it with, especially since he knew well that if he existed, that someone would be him. "Please, take me to see something else…" Tiger begged, on the verge of tears. "I'm unable to cope with this. Holly in pain like this, and especially on her birthday, is more than I can bear. And I can deal with a LOT." He didn't mention how he felt about Hare, though. He didn't want to, since he liked Hare a lot less than Holly. "Of course." Jagd Hound said. Then Dino made the gem bring the lot of them to another time, which was back when the same Holly was poisoned in that forest.

"Wait…isn't this when…" "Yes, when Holly got poisoned and you and Genki went to get the berries for her medicine." said the boy. "Oh, no…" Tiger gasped. He realized what this meant, and he had to watch as Genki, who'd not been able to come back because he was both attacked and killed by baddies, died, plus Holly, who succumbed to her illness at last for lack of the berries required for her cure, passed away and was a corpse. "NO!" Tiger screamed. "I wish it were otherwise, but since you were never born, Genki was killed by more baddies than he'd be able to handle despite his talent and energy, and Holly died of that poisoning she got, since no cure came in time." Dino said to him.

Suezo was bawling: "OH, HOLLY! HOW WILL I EVER BE ABLE TO LIVE WHEN YOU'RE DEAD? I WANT YOU BACK! BRING HER BACK! SOMEONE TELL ME THIS IS A NIGHTMARE!" Tons of tears were coming from his eyes, in addition to how Mocchi was lost in crying and not even talking for how he knew Genki was gone and how he would miss him and didn't want this to be true. Tiger's heart, though he pretended he didn't feel it, was torn at worse than ever.

"Furthermore," put in the boy as Dino used the magic gem to bring them to another time in the history of this world, "let's not forget, Tiger, that you were part of the Phoenix which took down Moo for a time. If you had never existed, how could the Phoenix have ever been formed?" "And if the Phoenix had never been formed, how could Moo have possibly been taken down or even threatened to be stopped?" asked Dino. "Let's see…" Jagd Hound said. Moo, in his full and most powerful dragon form, was fighting against the rebels and their helpers, including Granity and all the dragons, but he managed to destroy every single last one of them. And he also was able to destroy all that was good and conquer this world.

"This isn't happening." Tiger said, utterly aghast at what he was seeing. "Oh, but it is." stated Dino. "For without the Phoenix, there was no hope against Moo." "And this is not the end, either." Jagd Hound put in. "Because there's also the fact you played a crucial role in a several of the victories your team won. Including against the baddies." "If you had not helped like you did, and made sure they were either defeated and shown the truth, or defeated, killed and brought to life again as good monsters like I was," Dino said to him, "here's what you'd get." The magic gem brought them to first the castle of Pixie, who was still a brainwashed baddy and evil, and it also brought them to the ice castle of Gray Wolf, who was also still brainwashed and evil. Both had their respective troops.

Tiger was unable to believe he was seeing Pixie and Gray Wolf as part of the Big Bad Four again. And Big Blue showed up as his baddy self, as well. Furthermore, he would see the castles of Naga and Gali next with the next use of the magic gem, and they were all baddies as well. Because Tiger's help had also made sure they were defeated and then later brought back as good monsters. In Gray Wolf's case, Tiger had done the destroying of his baddy crest that saved him like it did. "The Big Bad Four is still the Big Bad Four…" Tiger said. "Yes, because either your help was crucial in making it so the other three went down or you did the taking down of your foe yourself, in the case of your brother." the boy told Tiger. "If not for your assisting and fighting ability, these four would still be the Big Bad Four servants of Moo they once were."

"Those humans will eternally pay for how they treated me!" Pixie stated. "While we forever rule as baddy queen and baddy servant!" Big Blue added. Gray Wolf then said: "Hey, I never had any siblings, companions, friends or parents in my life! I was treated like shit! And I now rule over everyone who ever wronged me and whip them like the maggoty little slaves they are! God, I love being a baddy! Never again will I be hurt or alone! The embrace of evil has seen to it the little wimp who I once was is dead, and I live forever in his place!" "Poisonous evil and hatred is now the norm, be it within this world or throughout its inhabitants!" Naga stated. "And if any good comes into the world, we'll quickly eliminate it!" Gali spoke.

Tiger was realizing more and more just how much of a bad move it was to wish that he'd never been born. Worse yet, Pixie, Gray Wolf, Naga and Gali were all laughing evilly as they all stood over burning villages and set their troops out to kill anyone who they could find and take all they were able to get a hold of. Then he looked up and exclaimed when he saw what he did: "WAIT A SECOND! THAT'S MOO!" Indeed, it was Moo. Though in his weaker form, Moo at this moment was seen sitting on a large throne. Among his baddies, the Big Bad Four or any of the others.

"Because, besides how Holly would never have gotten her father back, Moo would have conquered all of this world long ago and been its eternal tyrant ruler of pure evil if you'd not been around to help the goodies as much as you did." Dino's words to Tiger consisted of. "And to add insult to injury, Gray Wolf and Pixie would never have known the truth about humans and how true humans are kind and caring, like I did. They would have been lost for good without ever knowing it!" Tiger realized the severe reality of all this and could not believe how much more horrible it was too look at Moo again after he was long gone and Tiger thought he'd never see him again. "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Moo cackled. "I RULE ALL! ME AND MY BADDIES WILL FOREVER RUN THIS WORLD LIKE THE HELLHOLE IT HAS TO BE!"

And it brought him additional internal hell to see Holly crying, all by herself, and going: "Father…please…come back to me, daddy…I'm begging you…please tell me you're not lost forever…" As her tears hit the floor, Tiger could see she'd been chained up in one of Moo's dungeons, her magic stone ripped off of her and her body beaten very badly. Tiger went: "I'M NOT SEEING THIS. I'M NOT SEEING THIS. I'M NOT SEEING THIS." It was obvious that Tiger was once more absolutely TORTURED to see Holly in such sadness and pain, but that this time it was even more torturous for him than the last time. "I know, it's so very horrific indeed." Dino nodded. "But you are seeing it, I'm afraid. This is the reality of a world without you, one in which you were never born."

"But we still have a little more to see." Jagd Hound stated. "Please…" Tiger begged. "No more…" "But we have to see it." the boy told him. Tiger sighed and got ready to deal with what he would be seeing next, though he was barely holding on at this point. He could not believe the way he wished he'd never been born without thinking. Not if all this was what his never having been born meant! "Now, Tiger," Jagd Hound informed him, "you may recall how your defeating and saving Gray Wolf led to Nina finding him and helping him. She'd not found a new monster for some time at that time, and was hoping for one. What if she'd never found him?"

They went to see Nina, who was looking as sad as any girl ever looked, next when Dino used the magic stone to go to where Nina currently was in this world. Hopper tried to comfort her and she hugged him, but it was clear she wanted a new monster, but deep down knew she'd never get one. Tiger was unable to stand this, and it especially tore at him when the boy told him: "And the fact that Gray Wolf would not only have still been a baddy at this time but also having been taken by Moo against his will like he was, only without anyone he was close to and without anyone to save him, only makes it worse. As does the fact Nina and Hopper would never have at all met the goodies, let alone joined them like they did today."

"Oh, Hopper…" Nina wept. "Thanks for the kind consoling, but I just wish we could one day have another companion…maybe even build a team…" She cried quite a few tears and then she said: "But I guess that's just out of the question. I don't know whether or not we'll ever be at all able to meet anyone outside of our village, either. Is it too much to ask for this? I don't even know what got me thinking this…oh, Hopper…" She hugged him and cried, and he joined her in shedding tears a second later, for he wanted what she did, but knew, like it, it wouldn't come. It reminded Tiger strongly of how Holly was in such pain in previous sequences, since Nina was a lot like Holly in many ways, and it hurt him worse than any physical attack ever possibly could.

Tiger could tell he was all but ready to snap, but he did his best to keep himself together. For the last sequence, though Dino did not tell him it was the last one, Dino said: "Now we will see this world in general, as it would be at this time now that it's been so long since Moo was first created." So he used the magic gem one final time and they entered a world which was as dark and contaminated with evil, turmoil, despair and slavery as it was possible for a world to be. Tiger realized it at once. "This is our world…" "Yes, with Moo as not only its ruler, but its utter controller." Jagd Hound spoke. "Moo is virtually a god, as he has not only conquered, as you've seen before, but he has continually gained power. Right up until he is more powerful than any of the other monsters on Earth, even if you put them all together."

"Nobody can stop him." Dino said. "He will rule eternally and make things worse and worse until the world doesn't exist anymore, and neither does the universe." the boy added. "It all happened because you never lived, and thus all of the crucial things you did to save the lives of your group, help them win and make sure Moo would be put a stop to didn't happen. So in the end, Moo triumphed and his evil forever makes the world a living hell." "And all else that you'd done to help also didn't happen, so the goodies died long ago and Moo had no competition, and nearly all of the human race was wiped out." Jagd Hound said to him. "As was every last one of the good monsters on Earth," said Dino, "with only bad ones who Moo made as evil as he had wanted them to be remaining."

"And every baddy, End-Bringer, General Durahan, Lilim, Renocraft and so on you helped to destroy? They still exist to terrorize all. Not to mention how, if the goodies you run with weren't killed by baddies, they would have starved to death long ago and died a different way, since you often got to be the one to find food with your sharp senses and digging ability." Jagd Hound told him. "It's a sad, dark, hopeless world in which you never existed…"

"Gray Wolf, prior to being taken by Moo and turned into a baddy for all time?" asked the boy. "He gave up long before that and was lost forever, physically, mentally, emotionally and metaphorically. He was as helpless as he was afraid and confused. And he'd never know love or trust. Not when he lived in such a harsh, cold world, had nowhere to go, and, of course…no brother to look up to for guidance…"

Moo was going: "I AM THIS WORLD'S MIGHTLY SUPREME BEING! I AM THE ONLY KIND OF GOD OR DIETY OF ANY SORT WHO EXISTS! MY HATRED AND MY DARK EVIL WILL SEE TO IT THIS WORLD NEVER SEES ANOTHER RAY OF LIGHT AGAIN AND ALL BUT THE MOST VILE AND POWERFUL WILL UTTERLY PERISH! THE HUMAN RACE WILL NO LONGER EXIST AND I WILL BE HE WHOL RULES NOT JUST THE WORLD, BUT ALSO THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS WILL BE CHANGED TO MOO-VILLE! OR BETTER YET, MOO-WORLD! NO, I'VE GOT IT! THE MOO-NIVERSE! GWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"And no one is more ready for the end to be brought than End-Bringer!" End-Bringer put in. "Not to mention how, besides everything else we get out of this, power, being feared and so on, we'll be as rich as kings and live like kings for an eternity and beyond!" Durahan thundered on out. "And my creation, Renocraft, will provide us plenty of entertainment in killing all who are insignificant and weak for whenever we get bored!" "Though with me around, I'm willing to bet you will never get bored!" Lilim said to him seductively as she embraced Durahan. "For a bit of icing on the cake," said Jagd Hound as he turned his head away from this in disgust, let's not forget what Moo would have done to little Eve if you hadn't been there to help stop him on that night, or how lost the Datonares and Datons would have been with no leader to guide them after they were rejected by their masters." The boy shook his head sadly and Dino showed via the gem depictions of such unthinkable things to Tiger, who was unable to believe his eyes. After that, the boy said: "Plus, all the other times you saved the lives of one or more of your teammates? Let's not forget that their deaths wouldn't have just been tragic…"

"…but they would have resulted in disaster of worse magnitude more often than not." Jagd Hound finished. Then the gem was used to show every time Tiger had saved the lives of his friends throughout their journey and won something important for them, and what the horrid and disastrous result, alongside the death of one or more of them, would have been had it not been for him. "I'm not seeing this. I'm not seeing this. I'm not seeing this!" Tiger yowled. "But it's the truth of reality, because this is a reality in which you were never born." Dino let him know.

Finally, Dino used his gem to look into the real world and said: "And to top it all off, you are not only the favorite character of nearly everyone in the real world Earth who has seen and/or liked and been a fan of the anime show that is Monster Rancher, but some people watched it for the sole purpose of seeing you in action! They liked your voice, your talents, your looks, your back story, your personality, everything!" "You were the most popular character on the show and if you hadn't been around, Monster Rancher would not have had nearly as many fans or people who liked it as it did. Even those few who didn't have you as a top favorite usually had you real high up on their liking scale." Jagd Hound added. Then the boy said: "It wouldn't have even lasted for one season, let alone three seasons, without you. And even those who don't know it have heard more of you than any other character and more often than not said they'd like to watch it for the way you look and seem so cool and so awesome. Not to mention the rebels wouldn't have been anywhere near as adept and powerful a team without you, even with Genki's superb leadership. See how important you are in and out of the Monster Rancher world?" Indeed, all of this was being shown by the gem in front of Tiger's eyes in a huge image which it produced to show such things as true and real both in the Monster Rancher world and in the real world Earth outside of the fictional Monster Rancher one. Especially the times in which he did an important attack that made all the difference in a battle, or at least took down baddy troops to make it easier. Not to mention the repeated times in which his tracking abilities aided the team, whether it was for finding minor advantages or in a way that made all the difference for the outcome of that particular time. There were many of all of them shown, of course.

"As if that weren't enough, let's not forget how, from within your mystery disk, you once helped make sure Mocchi would win a battle he had all but lost." Dino said, showing that time with his gem. "If your voice from within hadn't helped, he would have lost, your disk never would have been recovered and you'd never have returned, making sure the goodies would surely fail due to your absence. Not to mention how all the Datonares and Datons you led before meeting Genki would not have had a leader, and they would have been lost and likely died after a long, sad life of pain and suffering, with no one to help or care for them." He depicted both of these things as he used the gem to change the view they were seeing to first the former of those things, and the latter after that. Then he made it be put away as an image and made sure to keep a real damn good hold of his gem. "Additionally," said the boy, "let's not forget that time you got to Rosetta just in time in that cooking contest, with Mocchi having her mushrooms that those baddies had stolen." "Indeed, if you had not been the one to carry Mocchi, she would surely have lost." Jagd Hound added.

Dino said: "Ah, yes. We mustn't leave that out. It looks like we have that to show you, and three other things, as well." Tiger's jaw dropped. "What? What could those possibly be?" "For one thing," Dino responded, "look at Rosetta here." He teleported them via his gem to where a depressed Rosetta, as well as a sad and heavy hearted, gloomy Golem, plus all the other rebels quite despondent and upset, were in the middle of the cooking contest she'd lost. "OH, MY GOD! I HOPED TO WIN THIS ONE LAST TIME, AS IT COULD VERY WELL BE MY LAST CHANCE, AND I'VE LOST! I'M DONE AS A COOK! I'M RUINED! OH, GOLEM, WHY? WE WERE SO CLOSE!" "Golem wishes he could do something…Golem has failed…" Golem said morosely, putting his hands into his face. All the other goodies were softly crying and Genki said: "I can't believe it. We failed. And now she's lost the contest she cherishes, and the job she loves." "Chi…" Mocchi sighed. "This is not how it happened!" Tiger shouted. "But it is in this world, for you were never born and all the others are nowhere near your speed. Genki is the only one fast enough to have a chance of being able to get there other than you, but he would not have made it and this would have happened." "Furthermore, if you hadn't driven off those baddies, you and your friends may not have met her, either. Rosetta, that is!" the boy told Tiger.

"Remember? Before this, just before you met Rosetta, you drove those baddies away with your famous lightning attack?" asked Jagd Hound. "We do." Dino told him, and they did a teleport to show it. "I remember this! They were stealing from her!" Tiger told them. "Only it's not that they were, it's that they have." Dino stated. "As you can see, they're running off and also snickering. They've managed to escape the goodies, who at first held their own, and make off with her food supplies, thanks to how you were never born, and thus your help and lightning attack never came along to drive them off. In fact, they not only stole from her, but she died of trying to chase them and snapping her back severely, as well as cardiac arrest from so much high exertion." Tiger looked to see the corpse of Rosetta, and his eyes opened wide. He also noticed that Golem, Mocchi, Hare, Suezo, Genki and Holly were out of breath, confused and frustrated from losing, and had not noticed her remains yet. "Tell me this isn't true." Tiger gasped. "Tell me this isn't beyond being altered. Changed. Fixed." "Not in this world, for you never lived, and as such, all you helped do to make a difference never occurred." Dino let Tiger know. "Two more things to see. Try and hang on." Jagd Hound said. So Tiger nodded and came along, and then Dino used the gem to teleport them to that time that the rebels were on that aircraft with the mystery disk and being pursued by Durahan, Mum-Mew, Poison and Gobi.

"You remember this, don't you?" asked the boy. "I do." Tiger replied. "It was just a day and a night before the final battle with Moo, and we were trying to evade those guys and free Holly's father, which we luckily succeeded in doing." "Only that was in the universe where you existed." Jagd Hound told him. "In this universe, you were not around, and thus not there to think up that idea of riding with the wind. Watch." Sure enough, the aircraft stopped moving with the exception of plummeting toward the mountains, and it exploded, killing everyone on board and destroying the mystery disk and magic stone. "NO!" Tiger shouted. "I'm afraid you have seen exactly what it looks like you've seen." the boy sighed. "And the way that you hit Gobi with that lightning attack when you and the other rebels jumped on the baddie aircraft? If you hadn't, look what would have happened. Dino?" Dino then made the gem teleport them to that very moment, and Gobi not only was not knocked over, but he smacked Golem and Suezo out of the aircraft, making it so while the other rebels had an even harder time with the baddies than before, Golem and Suezo fell to their deaths. Suezo repeatedly yelled: "TELEPORT!" but it didn't work. Soon, the two were lost disks. "GOLEM! SUEZO!" Tiger exclaimed. Soon after, all the other rebels saw this had happened, and while they screamed in horrified grief, the baddies of course started laughing evilly.

"Okay, so now that you've seen what the world would be like without you," Dino said, "let us all take one more look at the worst part of all, just to make certain you don't forget this. Remember how the light came down after Moo was vaporized in the air and all baddies were at last turned good, and the world was no longer infested by evil from Moo?" "Well," Jagd Hound put in, "we initially saw the world as it was first conquered by Moo and his baddies, beyond any hope of being released from evil." "But later on, it's a world which resembles hell in a way that would make even hell itself pale with fright." the boy clarified. Dino put his gem to use and one look at that world showed Tiger exactly what they were talking about. With Moo as its ruler and having, to say the least, easily outdone Satan, this world was hell enough for even the very most atheist of atheists to realize it as that. Right down to the endless darkness, hellfire, lava, blood and guts explosions and all the baddies doing slave driving, slaughtering for fun, torture and the like on humans and monsters alike. As soon as it was seen firmly by all four, Dino made his gem bring them into the vortex/void between this world and the true world. Once this happened, he, the boy and Jagd Hound looked at Tiger, and the look on his face was unmistakable, as was his bodily position and incessant shaking, with every hair abristle.

Tiger had, to be sure and undeniably, even to himself, finally reached his breaking point. In spite of how tough, brave and strong he was, he, like anyone else alive, had a breaking point, and all of this pushed him easily high enough and far enough to reach and then hit it. Especially given how he'd forced back the urge to snap so very repeatedly. So now he just let it all loose. "MAKE IT STOP!" Tiger cried out, finally snapping. "NO MORE! PLEASE! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT I WISHED I'D NEVER BEEN BORN! WHAT WAS I THINKING? SURE, I ACCIDENTALLY INJURED GENKI, HOLLY, GRAY WOLF, DATON, DATONARE AND PIXIE! BUT THEY ALL KEPT TELLING ME THEY DIDN'T HATE ME AND KNEW I DIDN'T MEAN IT! ALL OF MY FRIENDS TRIED TO REMIND ME OF MY IMPORTANCE! BUT I DIDN'T LISTEN A BIT! WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME? TELL ME THIS CAN BE UNDONE! TELL ME THIS IS NOT THE WORLD I'M DOOMED TO LIVE IN! TELL ME IT'S NOT TOO LATE! TELL ME THAT I AM NOT BEYOND REACH OR HOPE OF RETURNING TO MY ORIGINAL REALITY!"

He'd never spazzed like this in his life, but he couldn't help himself. This was too much for even one as tough, rough like and brave as himself. Thankfully, Dino said: "Our work here is done. Tiger, this world would have become hell on Earth if you'd never lived." "You were a very important and integral part in Moo's downfall and in helping your friends move forward, initial life of fearsome thievery notwithstanding." put in the boy. "And we should know this better than anyone, since we're shining examples of how so very much you helped make a difference." "We need you, Tiger." Jagd Hound said. "Through the magic of this gem, in fact, we've even seen that people who were interested in the world of Monster Rancher not only favored you above all characters more often than not, but you were, in some cases, the main or sole reason people were interested in seeing our world from theirs."

"So, like we said," Dino told him, "this world needs you, Tiger, and so do we. The fact that, after your pardon, many people who once feared you now love you, and the fact that many were impressed with how great you fought in tournaments, is a sure sign that this world would not be the same without you, and it would be truckloads worse." "I realize that now. Thank God this foolish wish can be undone." Tiger breathed with a sigh of relief. "It will be now." Dino said. "This was our thanks to you and we are glad we could return the favor. Help you like you helped us." "Now, let's get back to our own world, where you exist." the boy said to Tiger. "Exist, and make it a better place." spoke out Jagd Hound. The magic gem was put to work for its last of tasks…bringing them back to the real world of Monster Rancher. And right in the part of the cave Tiger had been in before, though he did not yet notice it.

"We must go now," said Dino, "to enjoy our own Christmas Eve and Christmas Day." "Though we are glad to have completed our thanks to you in the best way possible at the best time possible. I am also glad we got to meet again." Jagd Hound said. The boy then said: "But we wish you a merry Christmas, Tiger, and are glad you saw full well just how vital it is you are a part of this world." "Merry Christmas to all three of you, and I can't begin to thank you enough." Tiger said. "I, too, am glad we got to meet again. Farewell, and best wishes."

"Farewell, Tiger, and best wishes." the three said in unison. Then Dino used the magic gem to teleport himself, Jagd Hound and the boy to their destination, back home where they'd been prior to seeing Tiger's plight, of course. Tiger then realized they'd also made sure they'd teleport him right back to the cave he'd been in before, and in the same part of it he'd been in before, too.

"This must be so I can pick up where I've left off with my friends…" Tiger thought. "But I do think I have some quick loose ends to tie up first…" The effects of the mind thing from the gem had kicked in, and he saw a hole which was, though he didn't know it, left for him by the same gem by Dino just as he and his friends teleported away. He sniffed it, and could tell it was the scent of the very boy who had, a while back, made him convinced he should have never been born. But now he knew it was a sham to pay him back for beating Knight Niton and for being as cool, powerful and better than him as he was, and none of what the boy said to him was true, the part about Tiger having the devil in him in particular. All a subtle, veiled lie. Now Tiger was full of rage as much as he was happy and relieved, and followed the hole, which turned out to be a tunnel, and it led to the boy's hideout, which, just to clarify, happened to be underground. He in the end made it there, and saw both the boy, Fake Penguin and Knight Niton right there in front of him. "Hello, brat." he said in a very smug, menacing tone of voice with a cruel smile on his muzzle. "TIGER?" the boy exclaimed. "What are you doing here? And how the hell did you get to my hideout?" "Saw a tunnel that led to it. Picked up your stench, boy." Tiger replied. "Not to mention I've thought long and hard about what you said to me, and realized something." "What was that?" asked the boy, now trembling due to how much different Tiger seemed from when the two had last talked to each other.

"That you were full of shit the whole time, and it was all a fraudulent lie to pay me back both for beating Knight Niton, winning the Mandy Cup Challenge and for proving the fact that, as my true, full powered self, I am better than all three of you by far in every way, and that's just something you can't stand the thought of. So you tried to drive me to the edge, under the guise of trying to help me, and push me to the breaking point to the extent it would make me want to end my own life while wishing I'd never been brought into this world to begin with. Well, guess what, brat? It didn't work. And now I'm angrier than the dickens at you!" "Easy, Tiger…" the boy said, his eyes darting about for the nearest exit, but ultimately unable to find it. He was clearly petrified. "Not to mention that the time it took me to think it over left me quite a bit hungry, and you look pretty damn juicy just about now…" Tiger growled nastily, licking his lips. "Fake Penguin, Knight Niton, protect me!" the boy shouted desperately, but Tiger simply said, as the two went for him: "You've got to be kidding me." and blasted Knight Niton with lightning after leaping over Fake Penguin, which he kept up until Knight Niton was nothing but a lost disk.

"NO! KNIGHT NITON!" cried the boy as he threw himself down in front of the lost disk of his former partner. "And that's just the start of it!" Tiger roared, unleashing tornado wind to batter Fake Penguin and rip the hideout apart, plus showering his blizzard breath onto the same Fake Penguin before finishing him off by slashing him up with the claws on his forefeet. Fake Penguin turned into a lost disk, then Tiger said: "Ta-Ta, tubby! And now for the main course!" He landed on his feet and walked over to the boy, who, after screaming: "FAKE PENGUIN! NO! NOT YOU TOO!" turned around to see Tiger coming at him and, with no time to stand up and run, he tried to move away by crawling backwards on his rear, for all the good it did him. "Stay back…I'm warning you…" he stuttered. "Please…" Tiger said. "You don't stand a chance against me and you know it. Especially since I'm so thirsty for your blood and ravenous for your flesh after you took advantage of my broken down state and tried to derail my life, thus making it so I wanted to end it. All over losing a tournament and being unable to accept that I'm far, far greater than you in every respect, which you have none of for anyone but your sorry self. And, as the sweat and shaking I see on you indicates, you are, at the end of the day, nothing but a sorry, pathetic, useless, insignificant, talentless coward. Without your monsters to aid you, you've got nothing. And they, being lost disks, are nothing now. And you yourself, little man? Why, you're less than nothing."

As Tiger drooled with anticipation of chowing down on this more than deserving morsel, the boy was more frightened and terrified than ever, true to wimpy, cowardly form. He let out a few words: "Nice wolf…nice wolf…" while putting his hands up in surrender, but it helped him not. Tiger grinned: "Mealtime." and leapt onto the boy, pinning him down. "Your attempt to break me and get your retribution failed miserably, and fatally so. Now it's time for your long overdue comeuppance. You made it personal, you spoiled little punk of a selfish, stupid brat." Tiger told him. "But all that does is buy you a much worse demise than most of my adversaries." "NOOOOOOO!" the boy cried, but it was in vain, for Tiger paid his yell for mercy no heed and bit down on his throat. He then ate the boy, taking his time and savoring every bite, always sure to suck the blood out of each hunk of meat. When he was done, even the marrow had been eaten and all that was left was broken bones where the marrow had been contained. After finishing his well deserved meal, Tiger thought: "Okay, I guess it's time to get back to the cave, but first, I think I'll take some stuff." He gathered up as many potential present items as he could and put them in a blanket, then wrapped that blanket up into a bag and tied a knot with his tail. After he did this, Tiger stated: "It's a good thing I blew apart this place with my tornado move, for I may not have found all this stuff I can give as extra gifts to my fellow goodies. Especially the six I accidentally injured. Sure, I may keep a small amount of it, but most of it is for everyone else, the six injured in particular. The ghosts of Christmas must be smiling upon me."

So, after running back up the tunnel and dragging the back through it with him, with some effort, though nothing in it nor the bag itself was damaged, thankfully, he got back to the cave and, once he was out, the hole closed behind him and so did the whole tunnel, though his back was turned, so he saw none of it. Then he decided to see his friends, and show them the bag as well, so he ran in to see them, and as he passed by some ice which lined the cave walls, he saw his reflection in it. His scar was back and just as it had been before! "MY SCAR!" he thought. "I have my scar again! I exist! And I'm truly back where I should be!"

He also saw drops of water on the ground and realized what they were: "THE TEARS I SHED! THEY FELL FROM MY FACE! I'M STILL HERE! ALL IS AS IT WAS BEFORE I WISHED THAT FOOLISH WISH!" Then he went back to where the other goodies were and said to the lot of them: "YES! YOU'RE ALL STILL HERE!" "Tiger?" Hare exclaimed. "Well, of course we're all still here!" Suezo said. "Chi!" Mocchi added. "What, you thought that we'd disappeared or something like that?" asked Big Blue. "Come on, you couldn't have been upset to THAT extent, could you?" asked Holly's father. "Unhappy, yes, but enough to think you were suddenly the only one who still existed?" "But hey, we're glad to see you are feeling better at last!" Golem said to him. "You wouldn't believe just how much better, Golem." Tiger replied. He then leapt forward and gave them all a hug, with everyone returning it, but Nina and Hare being the only ones who did more than hug him back, but also did so as eagerly as he was doing so. "And Tiger, that bag you have there, what's in it?" asked Hare, noticing it. "Just some items I picked up while I was recovering from my sad state. I took a walk to cool off, and once I felt a lot better, I decided I'd make things better for all of us, especially the six who were injured before, by getting some extra gifts. So I got them, and they're all in here. Each of us will be having some, but it's going under the tree until Christmas, for obvious reasons." "That's wonderful, Tiger!" Nina said. "Thank you so much!" everyone else present said in unison. "They'd say more, but I think they're speechless at how good of you this was." Tama said to him. "Chi!" added Mocchi. "Tiger best Santa ever, Chi!" "With the exception I wear blue and white, and that I am not the least bit overweight, yes. You're absolutely right." Tiger replied to Mocchi. Everyone else laughed their heads off, Tiger rolling his eyes with a smile as they did so.

"Well, he's certainly cheered up, that's for sure!" spoke Big Blue. "Not that this is a bad thing!" Suezo put in. "Oh, far from it. Precisely the opposite, in fact." Holly's father stated. "By the way," Nina said, "I have good news! Datonare, Daton, Gray Wolf, Pixie, Holly and Genki are not only getting better from their injuries, they'd like to see you!" "What?" asked Tiger. "Hey, you heard the girl!" Hare put in. "Chi!" Mocchi said. So Tiger took off to see the six who seemed to be getting better from the injuries he unintentionally inflicted on them. "I told you he'd realize it wasn't his fault when he cooled off for a bit." Nina said. "Hey, I knew it all along." Hare said. "You did not! You're just saying that to cover up the fact you were so very concerned for him! Why else would you hug him as tightly and eagerly as Nina did, when your personality differs from hers as much as it does from Holly's?" Suezo told Hare. "Chi! Hare like Tiger, Chi!" Mocchi said. "I DO NOT!" let loose Hare. "NO MORE THAN HE LIKES ME!" "Calm down, Hare. It's Christmas Eve." Tama reminded him. "And I think we've had enough intensity for one night." Holly's father spoke. "Sorry…" he said, a bit embarrassed because of not realizing what he was doing at first. Everyone quickly moved the big bag of extra gifts Tiger had brought under the tree, or at least as close to the tree as it would fit with all the other gifts, and left it there for the next morning.

Meanwhile, Tiger was going over to Genki, Holly, Pixie, Datonare, Daton and Gray Wolf and said: "Hi there, you six. You wanted to see me?" "We sure did, Tiger." Genki replied. "As you may have been told, we're feeling better." Pixie said. "And we wanted to let you know that not only were our injuries not your fault, since those baddies made you accidentally do it," Holly put in, "but we're recovering so nicely that it appears we'll be completely back to normal by tonight!" An immense smile of relief and joy formed across Tiger's face, and he said: "Dear God…thank the lord for…" He sighed and then Gray Wolf told him: "We are just happy you were able to nicely recover from the state of self-blame you were in. And that you feel better." "Not only this, but this is especially so in light of how we heard all that went on out there, and how much you've gone through and done for us." Datonare spoke out. "But in any case, we are beyond thrilled to see you've nicely recovered, like we said before." Daton added.

"Believe me, you have no idea how nicely I recovered." Tiger said. "And thank you, I do feel much better, yes." He then walked beside his brother after giving a nice nuzzle, lick and hug to Genki, then Holly, then Datonare, next Daton and finally Pixie, and sat down next to him so they were eye to eye. Gray Wolf let out a smile. "Merry Christmas, Tiger." said Gray Wolf as he licked his brother. "Merry Christmas, Gray Wolf." Tiger responded. The two hugged, then nuzzled, and Genki, Holly and Pixie were only too touched by this lovely sight on Christmas Eve.

And Tiger loved every second of it, as did Gray Wolf. Not a one of the two brothers wanted it to end, and Tiger could be certain of one thing. He knew well that he'd never doubt himself or think he was any kind of disadvantage again. More than ever did he, along with the others, have a very merry Christmas to look forward to now that he had such a huge amount of important knowledge as this. "THANK YOU." he thought in his mind, while he envisioned Jagd Hound, the boy he was with and Dino wherever the three were. Then he got lost in the trance of how nice it felt to be nuzzling his brother like he was. "It just would not be the same without you around. We need you, Tiger." Gray Wolf said to him. "And you'll always have me." Tiger told to Gray Wolf. It was destined to be the best Christmas Eve and Christmas Day possible more than it ever was before, both for the goodies and for the ones who'd helped Tiger out.

THE END

So, how did you like the story, this chapter or otherwise? Reviews, please! It just goes to show you…be careful what you wish for! And it just goes to show how vital a part of Monster Rancher Tiger was, for the show would not have been the same without him at all! And in a way that was for the worse! And the boy who nearly drove Tiger over the edge getting what for in the end? Why, that was both his inevitable karma and an improvement on how Mr. Potter never gets what for in "It's A Wonderful Life", the movie this fanfic is spun off from and a nod to! I hope the fic was enjoyable, and I wish you all a very merry Christmas, indeed! Hope this early gift from Santa Bloodlustful Claus was one of the best kind! Ho, ho, ho!


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